Gaiter



July 31, 1923. 1,463,357 H. P. BROVYN GAITER Filed Nov. l. 1922 fw y? Patented July 31, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT y ol-I-lca HABRY P. BROWN OF BOSTON, MASSACUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM v E. IPONERS,VV O .F BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.-

GAITEB.

To all whom 'it may concern.'

Be it known that I, HARRY P. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residinor at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and tate of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gaiters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is embodied in a gaiter, adapted to cover and conform closely to the instep portion of the wearers shoe, and to extend above the instep, and be contracted on and conformed to the wearers ankle, the gaiter being a tube of waterproof material which is closed and impervious to water between its upper and lower ends, and is adapted to be contracted, either upon the ankle within a trousers leg, or upon a trousers leg contracted upon the ankle b-y the gaiter.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,-

Fi re 1 is a side view of a gaiter embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5 5 of Figure 1.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

My improved gaiter is a continuous tube of waterproof construction, and preferably composed of a combination of textile fabric and rubber, such as is employed in the manufacture of so-called arctic overshoes. The lower end 12 of the tube is enlarged, and formed to embrace and fit snugly on the portion of the wearers shoe which includes the instep. Said lower end is non-adjustable, or in other words, is not adapted to be contracted like the major portion hereinafter described.

The tube is shaped above the lower end 12 to conform to the portion of the shoe upper which surrounds the foot-receiving opening of the upper. The major portion of the tube is rendered adjustable by means of bellows folds, so that said portion may be contracted about the wearers ankle and above the latter, the tube being preferably of sufficient length from the instep portion considerably above the ankle.

The said b Serial No. 598,243.

major portion includes a front member 13, a back member 14, the forward edges of which overlap parts of the front member, and intermediate members 15, between parts of the members 13 and 14, said members being integrally connected, so that they form an adjustable tube, which is impervious to water.

As indicated by Figures 1 and 5, the intermediate portions 15 taper at their lower ends to a point at 15, where they join the lower end 12, and increase gradually in Width -from said point upward.

The described construction permits the contraction of the major portion of the gaiter, about a portion of the shoe upper, and about the ankle of the wearer, adjustable fasteners being employed adapted to maintain any desired contraction, so that the said major portion may be worn within a trousers leg, and closely embrace the ankle, or may be worn outside the trousers leg, and hold the latter contracted on the ankle.

Fasteners such as are employed on arctic overshoes are suitable for this purpose. Portions of a set of these fasteners are shown somewhat conventionally, by Figure 1, each fastener including a curved lever tongue 17, and a plate 18, having a plurality of slots, either of which may receive the tongue.

The fastener elements may be secured in any suitable manner to the gaiter at the junction of the back member 14, with the intermediate members 15.

The gaiter is provided, as usual, with holding-down means, attached to its lower edge, and extending across the under side of the shank portion of thc shoe bottom. Said means may include strap portions 19 and 20, one portion having a buckle 21, engagingthe other, as shown b Figure 4.

he gaiter is applied y drawing it to place over the toe of the shoe, the non-adjustable lower end 12 being of sufficient size, and the adjustable major portion sufficiently expansible, to permit this operation. When the lower end 12 is properly seated, the major portion is contracted and secured as described.

The lower end portion of the gaiter is so fitted to the portion of the shoe embraced thereby, that it may be overlapped and covered by a portion of the upper of an ordinary waterproof overshoe, known as a rub- I cleian:

Agaiter composed of a. oontnuous tube, having an enlarged non-adjustable lower end, formed to embrace and fit the instep 5 portion of the Wenrers shoe, and an ad'ustable major portion, havinobellows olds extending from said nonajustable end to the upper end of the gater, whereby said major portion is adapted to be contracted, fastening devies bein provied whereby 10 the major portion may ge confined When contracted.

In testimony whereof have axed my signature.

HARRY P. BROWN. 

